Pokémon GO players can ring in the new year with Stardust bonuses, double XP from Raid Battles, and some fancy new boots for their avatar.
Pokémon GO New Year 2026 Start and End times
The new year’s festivities in the mobile AR game will last for five days, which should give players plenty of time to take advantage of all the exciting bonuses and work through their Field Research over the coming week.
Here are the Pokémon GO New Year 2026 event start and end times:
Event Begins: Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. local time
Event Ends: Sunday, January 4, 2026, at 8:00 p.m. local time
Pokémon GO New Year 2026 Event Bonuses
During the event, players have some very strong bonuses that they’ll be able to enjoy. Stardust is one of the game’s most limited and valuable resources, so players of every level should take some time to go out and farm it during the New Year event.
Additionally, players who are still trying to hit the game’s max level should maximize their XP during the event if they’re able to afford some extra Raid Passes.
Event Bonuses
- 2× XP from Raid Battles.
- 2× Stardust from Raid Battles.
- Increased chance to encounter Shiny Pikachu wearing a party top hat in the wild and in raids.
The Blacephalon Boots avatar item will be available to purchase in the in-game shop during this event and will continue to be available after the event ends.
Featured Attack
Blacephalon encountered after five-star raids during the event will know the Charged Attack Mind Blown.
Trainer Battles: 90 power and guaranteed chance to decrease the user’s defense.
Gyms and raids: 130 power
Pokémon GO New Year 2026 Event Wild Encounters and Raid Battles
Wild Encounters
Players may encounter event-themed Pokémon in the wild, including:
- Bulbasaur wearing a party hat
- Jigglypuff wearing a ribbon
- Hoothoot wearing a New Year’s outfit (chance to be shiny)
- Pikachu wearing a party top hat (chance to be shiny)
Battle Raids
The following Pokémon will appear in raids. All of the raid bosses have a chance to be shiny during the event window.
One-Star Raids
- Pikachu wearing a party top hat
- Wurmple wearing a party hat
Three-Star Raids
- Raticate wearing a party hat
- Nidorino wearing a party hat
- Gengar wearing a party hat
- Wobbuffet wearing a party hat
Pokémon GO New Year 2026 Paid Research and Field Research
Paid Research
For US$1.99 (or the equivalent pricing tier in your local currency), players will be able to access event-exclusive Timed Research. Purchasing this ticket will also grant the following bonus during the New Year’s 2026 event.
- One additional Raid Pass per day from spinning Photo Discs at Gyms (for a daily total of two).
Players who complete the Timed Research will gain the following rewards:
- Two Premium Battle Passes
- 3,000 Stardust
- Encounters with Pikachu wearing a party top hat
Overall, the event should be a pretty exciting one for fans of the game. The Stardust bonus is one of the most popular recurring event features and is usually enough to keep players active and engaged throughout an event window.
Pokémon GO is available now on mobile devices. Players can enjoy the New Year event beginning December 31 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
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